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Friday Flotsam

I’m in desperate need of a new weekender bag. And I want something super pimp. I’ve got a few weekend getaways coming up over the spring and summer, and the bags that I have now are either too big, too small, too grody, too old, too bulky, too weird, too trashed, too nasty, too blah, YADDA YADDA YADDA.

Here’s what I want. Regular tomato juice, fill it up three quarters, then add a splash of Bloody Mary mix – just a splash – and some lime on the side.

Wait hold on. That’s . . . something else.

I’d like a classic mix of canvas and leather. A few pockets inside, maybe a divider or two, something in the neutral family. You know my steez.

I feel like I saw some brand on IG lately, and I can’t remember what it was, or find it anymore. Waaaaah.

If you followed this saga on Intagram Stories, well – a) bless your soul, and b) see the thing above about me having no life.

So a few days ago, my Shark Navigator vacuum cleaner totally broke. TOTALLY BROKE. And by totally broke I mean it sounded weird. It would turn on, and then make this strange high airy sound, a different pitch than the regular hum of the vacuum. So like, TOTALLY BROKEN, right?

I asked my IG followers what sort of vacuum cleaner to look into, as mine was TOTALLY BROKEN. History. Done. On the curb. An insano flood of responses poured in – mostly Shark and Dyson recommends. A few Miele mixed in. Couple of Hoovers. I was prepared to take the Dyson plunge, when I decided to let Aaron hear this strange airy sound. Because the vacuum was TOTALLY BROKEN, and I needed to make a move fast, in order to stay on top of my (ahem, OCD) house duties.

On first joint inspection, we both decided that I accidentally dumped the top filter out at some point, when I was emptying the dust and spiders and dog hair. Okay! I’ll order a new filter. Except, none of the filters looked like one that might go in this Shark. Road block numba two.

THEN, Aaron goes, “It just sounds like something is blocked. Let’s take the hose off and see what’s inside.”

The end.

Just kidding!

You just won’t believe this. Unless you’ve already x-ed out because this story is making you prematurely age. There was a sock in the hose! A SOCK. It sucked up a sock, who knows WHEN, and it was blocking the suckage. That’s all it was! Thing is, I kind of remember vacuuming the sock and thinking, “oh no.” But then I kept going.

Dudes, I danced around like an idiot for probably 45 minutes after the mystery was solved.

My vacuum SUCKS, you guys. (cue confetti drop. and face punch.)

Picture something with me.

It’s 1985, but you’re the age you are now. You have the (almost) life that you have now. The husband and kids that you have now. But it’s 1985. Do you ever think about what we’d be doing with our lives, if we were US now, but it was back then? I think about the ’80s a lot (see the thing above about me having no life), and I often wonder what *I* would be like as a 40-year old, but back then. (this isn’t going to get all Stranger Things, I swear. even that show was totally rad.)

But like, I wouldn’t have this job. Or this community. What would a blogger’s job BE in 1985? What would an Instagram Story selfie-video-obsessed troll LOOK LIKE back then? Or would I even be doing something in the communicative field?! Who knows.

I asked Aaron this same question yesterday afternoon over a glass of rosé. He put his hands on the back of his head, leaned against the sofa, looked up at the ceiling and replied, “I’d be pretty much the same.” Which, is actually 100% true. Dude could care LESS about the Interflex. Or (most of) modern technology. I go, “Oh please, if you had to get up to change the channel ON the T.V. you’d be maj cranktankerous.” To which he looked at me sideways, “I don’t know those words you just said.”

As adults, would we be into the same shows? The same music? WHO WOULD WE BEEEEEEE.

And what would our relationship be like? Do you think there would be less stress, or more? Without the Interwebz, you know. Things are so EFFORTLESS these days, with buttons and swipes that basically do everything for you. But I wonder . . . . if there was LESS of that, would there be MORE of us?

(that totally felt like Carrie Bradshaw moment just then.)

Tell me what you think you’d be like back then, but now. But back then. But you now. Back then. I genuinely want to know. That is, if you’re not taking a nap after the tangled cacophony that is my brain.

Oh! I bet I’d be a vacuum cleaner repair lady. (see the thing above about me having no life.)

So tonight we’re headed to an art auction, and I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR. What do people wear to art auctions? In 1985, giant sequined shoulder pads and huge bangs would be the jam.

Do people wear sweatpants to these things?

I’m totally kidding!

…Because Aaron has some real nice sweatpants.

Weekend plans?

We have to skip another FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF night, since we’ll be out on the town. (I never say, “out on the town.” I liked it.) It’s going to be a cold weekend, so I think we’ll stay in and binge watch some Felicity. (oh! update in my Stories, for those of you following this ridiculousness.)

So like, sweatpants are okay for tonight, right? Because they’re real nice.

41 Responses to Friday Flotsam

ooooh that's so cool to think about. Hmmmm, I feel like I'd be essentially the same but just have a bunch of magazines and watch even more TV than I do now to make up for the lack on internet. No clue what I'd do as a job though lol!

I guess I'd still be a doctor married to an english professor, but we probably wouldn't have adopted our kids from China...I don't think that portal was open just yet. Huh.
See also: https://www.cuyana.com/le-sud-weekender.html#black-black
I love my Cuyana bag.

I love this line! I have the Catalina (I think that was all they had when I purchased mine).
It doesn't have dividers inside...and it's not waterproof since it's made of canvas, but I've used mine for a couple of years and I'm so glad I have it!
https://www.loandsons.com/weekender-travel-bags/

Hey I know you didn't decide on this one, and I know you've mentioned what you did end up buying, but now I can't find it. I'm in the market, traveling to Barcelona soon. What and why did you make a different choice, as this one looks pretty cool to me. Love your blog btw.

Hey! Birdling sent me this one and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. https://birdling.com/collections/weekender-bags/products/grey-weekender
I love it because a) it's in a neutral pallet, b) all the pockets! and c) I love the canvas meets leather thing. It's a fantastic bag. Get it! (tell them I sent you!)

I got this bag for Christmas and have used it about fifty times since. Not just for weekends away- sometimes I use it as a gym bag (the separate shoe pocket is a life saver!!) and sometimes when I just have too much crap to carry in a purse, I just tote this sucker around in my car and take in and out what I need as the day goes along. Beautifully made, high quality. I've gotten tons of compliments on it. :)
http://shop.herschelsupply.com/collections/duffles/products/novel-duffle-grey

Whoa! I am not joking - I had the same-ish thought this morning. I was wondering what age was I when my mom was my current age (45). I was 22. And I was thinking, "wonder what my life would have been like if I was the adult in her era". For the record, I was on the toilet while thinking about this. But seriously, how weird!

Got this bag for my sister last year, she loves it, so I obviously need to copy her and get myself one stat.
http://www.forestbound.com/collections/escape-canvas-bag/products/escape-canvas-bag-2
Cute, right!?
Currently pregnant with my first and I nearly broke out in a jealous sweat when hi said glass of rose. First world probs.

Madewell's where it's at! I like the canvas, but I like the full on brown leather as well.
https://www.madewell.com/madewell_category/BAGS/duffels/PRDOVR~E5196/E5196.jsp
Also, totally because of you, I just ordered my first paid of Pons Avarcas this week and I am soooooo pumped. Trying to resist purchasing the little girl version right now, but I have a feeling I'll give in.

I have this one and LURRRVE except that it's too small. It's a perfectly good one-nighter. Not a weekender: http://www.solesociety.com/mason-cognac.html
This one though, I think it has your name written all over it. Wait. OK no but it's been on my wishlist since my one-nighter arrived ... https://paintedfoxhome.com/product/escape-canvas-utility-bag/
Let us know!

I have and love my Lo & Sons O.G. bag, though maybe not "quite" big enough for a weekend. If you'll be traveling through airports, it makes a great "personal item" to go with your carryon bag. And it has a sleeve that slides over the extended handle of a carryon with wheels to make sloshing through the airport much easier. And bonus, they have holiday sales all the time.

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About Bev

Welcome! Bev Weidner is a food blogger, an obsessed photo-taker of her twins, a wifester, a cheese lover, a musician, a runner, knows every word and lyric to The Sound of Music, and a continual changer of hair-er. And she just said all of that in third person.
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